One of the ways to spread terror through society is to use the tactic of enforced disappearances. People are literally snatched from their families and communities by someone acting with the state’s consent, and their location isn’t revealed to loved ones. This tactic not only spreads fear among the affected families but also among the communities and society at large.

That’s why it’s an international crime, and it’s also why the United Nations has established a holiday to raise awareness about it. This holiday is known as the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, and it’s observed on August 30th every year around the world.

The History of International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances

This holiday was launched on December 21, 2010, when the United Nations passed UN Resolution 65/209 to combat the problem of enforced disappearances around the world. Hundreds of thousands of people in at least 85 different countries have vanished during conflicts or periods when the state was repressing people’s rights.

The Human Rights That Enforced Disappearances Violate

To give our readers a little bit of perspective on this problem, we’ve listed some of the human rights that are violated when a person is the victim of enforced disappearance.

• The right to an identity.
• The right to liberty and personal security.
• The right to be recognized before the law.
• The right to life and the pursuit of happiness.
• The right not to be tortured or treated inhumanely.
• The right to compensation and reparation for harms.
• And many times, the right to life when the person is killed.

Observing International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances

On this day, it’s important for UN workers, government workers, and everyone else concerned with the problem of enforced disappearances to get involved. Not only to spread awareness about this problem but also to help ensure that policies are crafted that will prevent or reduce this practice around the world. If everyone works together, then enforced disappearances can come to an end.